China announces construction of first 3rd generation nuclear reactor of its own design

China's CNNC has signed an agreement for the supply of ACP1000 to Pakistan and Argentina

BEIJING, May 6. /TASS/. China's National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) announced the construction of the first nuclear reactor of the third generation of its own design ACP1000 (Hualong-1). The Corporation has already signed two agreements for the supplies of reactors with a capacity of roughly 1,000 MW to foreign customers, the Corporation said Wednesday.

"The active phase of the pilot project for the construction of the first reactor of the third generation of its own design ACP1000 kicks off May 7 together with the construction of a fifth nuclear power unit in Fujian Province, east China," the company said at a press conference in Beijing.

"More than 20 countries around the world have expressed their interest in the ACP1000 reactor. Within one or two months we will organize a special conference, invite energy companies and officials from different countries who are interested in this project," CNNC President Qian Zhimin said at the press conference answering a question from TASS correspondent. "Currently we are actively cooperating with a number of Russian companies, including Rosatom. Now the general trend (for Chinese enterprises) is establishing cooperation with foreign partners. China and Chinese companies seek to deepen cooperation with Russia in order to promote advanced nuclear technology around the world," he said.

Zhimin noted that, to date CNNC has signed an agreement for the supply of ACP1000 to Pakistan and Argentina. "The cost of one ACP1000 may vary depending on the particular transaction, but it is about 30 bln yuan ($4.9 bln)," he said.

ACP1000 is a pressurized water reactor, which is a continuation of the CNP line - China's first nuclear reactors of its own design, built using French technology solutions.